Kristel Hassler, RN, CPNP was born in West Palm Beach, Florida, but has spent much of her life in Crossville. She first became interested in medicine at a young age while helping to care for her chronically ill father. Kristel attended Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee and graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Biological Sciences. She obtained her MSN degree with honors from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. She performed her clinical training at sites in both Nashville and Cookeville. Kristel was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau, the international nursing honor society, in May 2004.